


We Fell in Love Near The Rose Bushes

by LightsAboveTheArbys



Category: Welcome to Night Vale
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, Carlos is a Dork, Cecil Palmer has Lyme Disease, Cecilos Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-14
Updated: 2018-09-17
Packaged: 2019-07-12 01:38:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,970
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15984845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LightsAboveTheArbys/pseuds/LightsAboveTheArbys
Summary: Carlos Ortega came to Night Vale to study relativistic physics at the town's University.So far, his life is pretty normal. Well, Night Vale's standards of normal.Then he met Cecil, a young man working at Louise's Flower Shop.And thing's got weird.(If you recognize this from Wattpad, it's because we're the same person!)





	1. 1. Gloxinia

A sudden rain storm can make a good day sour immediately. Especially if that rain has acidic properties. In Night Vale, this was normal. However, for college student Carlos Ortega, who came from a small town in Fargo, North Dakota and only just transferred to Night Vale a year ago for college, this wasn't normal. He decided to study relativistic physics, and had heard that Night Vale Community College was the place to go.

Well, whoever mentioned it to him (Carlos can't seem to remember. He theorizes that someone in Night Vale put the thought in his brain telepathically, but that's for another story) sure forgot to mention how scientifically interesting the entire town was. "I mean, you wouldn't believe the things I've seen here!" Carlos would say to anyone back home who'd listen. "Clouds that drop dead animals, lights in the sky with no explanation, shadowy figures that follow me!" No one ever believed him. I mean, that would sound absurd to any average person who doesn't live in Night Vale. In fact, Night Vale isn't even a registered town. Carlos's family thought he went missing for weeks until he called talking about how college was treating him.

When Carlos first came to Night Vale, he expected a quiet, quick four years. But that plan crumbled when he met Quinton. He was a year ahead of him, a Junior, studying Photography. They met at a party for some acquaintance's birthday, moving to a back corner to talk. Quinton was quiet, sipping the cheap beer out of his solo cup with one hand, his two other hands in his pockets. Carlos was taken aback by the fact that this guy had three arms, but it made him even more interested to get to know him. The awkward mess it started as became a very pleasant conversation, which soon became a date at a local coffee shop, This Is Definitely Not Starbucks, You Saw Nothing. Now, one year later, on the 11th of February, Carlos was splashing through skin burning acid to try to make it to the local floral shop, Louise's Flowers, before he burned to death.

Carlos threw open the glass doors to the shop with the force of a hungry bear, letting them close on their own. "Shit." He examined the fresh, small holes on his lab coat; none of them seemed to have gotten through his flannel. Carlos sighed, walking up to the counter while adjusting his coat. "I'm sorry if I startled you, I just had-," he felt his tongue grow heavy as he took a first look at the man behind the counter.

A young man about Carlos's age, with curled blonde hair pulled into a pony tail, was humming a tune that belonged on a 90s Top 50 list. He had ivory skin and traces of freckles on his cheeks. The man's eyes were a beautiful shade of purple, almost resembling the fresh lavender growing behind him. He was watering one of the Wisteria Vine plants, which was hanging from the ceiling. Carlos took in his surroundings; the entire building was lined with ferns and bushes. Behind the counter was one of the most magnificent display of flowers Carlos had ever seen. There seemed to be hundreds of kinds of flowers, all in separate pots of their own. The far right corner of the shop reserved a place for the essentials of planting: gloves, hoses, pots, fertilizer, seeds, watering cans, and much more. The rest of the place seemed to be blooming, literally, with all sorts of plant life. Carlos could spot a tank of marimos on the wall. More hanging plants, like spider ivy and english ivy, dangled overhead. It was gorgeous.

Carlos decided to stop staring at a stranger, promptly ringing the small bell on the counter. The man behind the counter jumped, ripping out his earbuds. He cursed to himself before turning to Carlos. "Sorry for the wait, I got..carried away.. anyways how can I help you?"

"It's no problem. Can I get a bouquet?" Carlos pulled out his wallet.  
"Of course. What's the occasion?"  
"Oh. Um, an anniversary." The man's face lit up.  
"That's exciting! One year, two year?"  
"One, yeah, it is pretty crazy." He rubbed the back of his neck, eyes flicking up to the name tag the man wore. Cecil.  
"I think I have the perfect arrangement of flowers, then." Cecil smiled, turning to the large display behind him. Carlos saw him pick some red roses, both red and white carnations, red tulips, and primrose. He grabbed a vase, making sure to arrange the flowers into a lovely display for the eyes. 

Cecil placed the finished bouquet onto the countertop. Carlos awed at it, not seeing the way the other's face flushed pink.  
"This looks amazing!" Carlos looked back at Cecil with a smile. "It's so eye-catching! Do you study color theory?"

"No, but close. Sound design. But thank you, it takes a hell lot of practice." Cecil leaned on the counter, smiling back. 'God, this guy is cute.'  
"Really? What do you want to get into when you're older?"  
"It's my dream to become the new host of Night Vale Community Radio." Cecil sighed, fixing his ponytail. "For right now, I'm stuck in here. Although, it's not the worst place to be. Quite beautiful, actually," Carlos hummed in agreement, "it just gets lonely here sometimes."

"Well, if you ever get too lonely, I could come over here and hang out?" The scientist-in-training offered. "I need a cool place and a cool person like you to hang out with." Cecil was glad his ears were hidden with the bandana he was wearing; he could feel them going bright red.  
"Sure! Totally!" Carlos nodded, ripping a piece of paper out from his school bag. He scribbled something onto it, and handed it to Cecil. It was his number.

"Text me if you ever want to hang out." Cecil nodded enthusiastically, handing the bouquet to the other.  
"Of course! Yeah!" Cecil coughed in a way of calming himself. "That'll be $25.99." Carlos nodded, handing a thirty dollar bill, a bill that seemed to only exist in Night Vale, before walking to the door.  
"Keep the change." Carlos smiled back at Cecil one more time before rushing back outside, making the sprint to his shared dormitory. As Cecil watched Carlos leave, he felt the butterflies in his stomach flap their wings harder and harder.

He had fallen in love instantly.


	2. Marigold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> tw for verbal abuse and abandonment, stay safe loves!

Cecil  
Good luck, Pr. Fergusson is a sonnavabitch  
4/19, 2:21 AM

Today, 6:45 PM

Cecil  
Would you like to hang out tomorrow? It's usually pretty slow in the shop on Saturday.  
4/20, 6:45 PM  
Sent as a Text Message

Me  
That'd be great! Let me ask Quinton.  
4/20, 6:48 PM

Cecil  
Okie dokie! :P  
4/20, 6:50 PM  
____

"Earth to Carlos?" Carlos looked up from his phone, only to be met by the smiling face of Quinton. His boyfriend was holding his phone in his upper left arm, the lower left arm and right arm hanging down casually. He couldn't help but to admire his boyfriend. The way he cocked his head to the right when he smiled, the deep dimples that flashed when Quinton laughed, and his shiny, ocean blue eyes. 'Of course, they couldn't compare to Cecil's gorgeous violet orbs'- Quinton interrupted his thinking. "What's got you so excited? You're smiling like someone's just paid all your student loans." Carlos chuckled, slipping his phone into his pocket.

"It's just my friend. He asked if I could hang out tomorrow. Is that ok with you?"  
"Of course, honeybear." Carlos felt his cheeks burn as Quinton pressed a kiss onto his forehead. "Tell me about your friend." Quinton took a seat next to Carlos on the throughly sunk down couch, curling his legs up beside him. Carlos wrapped an arm around him.  
"Well, his name is Cecil. He's studying sound design at our college, and he runs Louise's Flower Shop."  
"Really? I always thought that place was abandoned."  
"Not at all. It's gorgeous in there." Carlos didn't notice the sour look on his face. "The life growing there is wonderful."  
"What's so good about dumb old flowers?" Quinton chuckled, masking the bitterness in his voice.  
"But what about the bouquet-"  
"Aw, son of Ansel Adams. Carlos, I've got to go." Quinton stood up abruptly. "I was invited to an art gallery by Professor Markensens. He thought I'd appreciate the photography being displayed."  
"I thought we were having movie night...?" Carlos tried to hide the hurt look on his face. "We rented Love, Simon, remember?" Quinton cursed under his breath.  
"Aw, honeybear, I'm so sorry, it totally blanked on me." He pressed a quick kiss into Carlos's lips, pulling back to check his watch. "But this is really important to my future. I have to get my name out to the art directors that are going to be there." Carlos didn't respond verbally. He just nodded.

"Hey, we can watch it next week, ok?" Quinton offered him a smile. "I love you, honeybear." And just like that, their dorm room door slammed shut. Carlos sighed, pulling out his phone. He slumped further down into the couch until he was laying down.

____

Cecil  
Okie dokie! :P  
4/20, 6:50 PM

Me  
He said it was ok. See you Saturday?  
4/20, 7:18 PM

Cecil  
A-Ok!  
4/20, 7:21 PM

Cecil  
Hey, are you ok? I get a sense you're  
not feeling so good.  
4/20, 7:23 PM

Me  
Hit the nail on the head, Cecil. What are you, a magician?  
4/20, 7:25 PM

Cecil  
Top secret info :P But what's going on?  
4/20, 7:26 PM

Me  
My boyfriend ditched me on our planned movie night.  
4/20, 7:28 PM

Cecil  
Ugh, men. I'm sorry that happened. You need some company rn?  
4/20, 7:29 PM

Me  
Thanks for the offer, you're too nice haha. But I am pretty tired, thinking about just going to bed. Goodnight Cecil.  
4/20, 7:31 PM

Cecil  
Night Carlos! Sweet dreams <3  
4/20, 7:33 PM

____

Carlos plugged his phone into its charger on the night stand. He walked to his drawers, pulling out a ratty night shirt and plaid boxers. After slipping on his pajamas, Carlos let himself fall with a soft thud onto the bed he and Quinton shared. The pillows smelled like his boyfriend's shampoo, which comforted Carlos. It was upsetting how this was becoming a trend. Carlos and him plan something together, Quinton backs out to go to an art show or party with "famous" photographers (as famous as someone could get for taking pictures for the Night Vale Daily Journal), and comes home at god knows how early, tipsy over cheap beer or fancy champagne depending where he went that night. It started to happen in late December, escalating to only once a month to almost every weekend.

It was so different when Quinton and Carlos met the first time. Quinton was shy, introverted, and loved to stay home with Carlos. He made plans every week to go on a date or stay in for a movie night. Quinton used to cuddle with Carlos in bed at night, easing them both into pleasant sleep. Now the only time he ever wanted to cuddle was when he was coming home, tipsy and fuzzy-minded.

"I'm being ridiculous." Carlos sighed, rolling to check the time on his phone. 11:54 PM. He was surprised Quinton wasn't home yet. 'Maybe should wait up a bit.' He thought about it. Knowing Quinton, if he wasn't home now, he'd be home at 4 AM. Carlos laid back down, closing his eyes. The street outside his building was buzzing with life: cars angrily honking at each other, the chattering of passerbyers, popular 2010s tunes blaring from blocks away probably from a house party. Night Vale was always lively at night. It was called Night Vale, after all. Carlos listened to the sounds, feeling his body get heavier as a dreamless sleep took over.

Tomorrow will be a better day.

_____________________________

Cecil listened to the sounds of people and cars outside, trying to block out the screaming bouncing up from the kitchen. He felt so small in moments like these. Standing up, Cecil let himself adjust to the dark. He saw his room, a mess of colorful and fun clothes, Marvel and Broadway posters hanging in every corner of his wall, the desk where his computer sat and where his pet cat, Khoshekh, hovered four feet off the ground next to it. It was obvious to Cecil that Khoshekh did not appreciate the screaming; his ears laid flat against his head, the fur on his back was standing straight, his eyes glowed a dark crimson.

"I don't like it either, bud." Cecil scratched behind Khoshekh's ear, the cat purring and rubbing himself against his owner's hand. "I'll go check it out." Giving Khoshekh one last stroke against his spine, Cecil slowly crept out of his room, cringing as the door hinges squeaked slightly. He could hear the fighting clearly, matching the voices to his mother and sister Abby.

"You can't just leave again!"  
"I can do whatever the hell I want, young lady-"  
"I don't care if you can! Cecil needs you, needs us right now. Why would you leave him when he's like....like this?"  
"He's old enough to deal with it himself." The way his mother said it made his blood run cold. She spoke of it like it was a burden to her.

"He's your fucking son!" Abby's words echoed through the house. Cecil could hear Khoshekh hiss out of surprise. "He's suffering from the after effects of a disease that could've killed him! And you think he doesn't need our help, that he can deal with the fact that he was on the brink of death just two months ago?" The house went silent. Cecil could hear his own breathing for the first time that night.

"You already left Cecil once, when he was dying in a hospital bed. I won't let you leave again."  
"Try and stop me." Cecil heard the door slam closed. 

Cecil crept back into his room, curling into a ball under the covers of his bed. These were the moments that made him feel small. His sister, who'd already moved out, protecting him from being abandoned again. His mother, so burdened with the fact that her disabled son was still living with her, leaving in the night to go to somewhere, anywhere else besides here. And then Cecil, having to listen to the screaming and fighting.  
You're weak.  
You're a burden.  
Cecil wrapped his arms around a large elephant plush he had gotten for a birthday time forgot.  
They hate you, your entire family.  
You're useless to them.  
Closing his eyes, Cecil tried to calm the swarming thoughts in his brain.  
You should've died in that hospital bed.

 

Tomorrow will be a better day.

_______________________________

The first thing Cecil saw when he woke up was the face of a slightly smushed elephant. He chuckled lightly, easing his thoughts of the night before. He reached over to his night stand, grabbing two knee braces. Cecil fastened them on, finding that he didn't need to use his crutches today. He was having a good day.

Cecil retreated in the bathroom to take a shower, using his best body wash (Sensual Roses and Romantic Burning Corpses). Maybe Carlos would notice how much he smelled of romance and death. Looking at the curtain-covered mirror, he ran a hand through his hair before pulling it into a messy bun. He changed into his uniform and grabbed his keys and phone. Soon, he was out the door, making the five block journey to his workplace.

Cecil was surprised to see Carlos waiting for him outside. His heart performed many flips and spins (figuratively. We all know what happened when your heart does that literally. We lost a good man that day). Carlos was wearing casual blue jeans and a flannel, over some shitty science pun t-shirt ("Be like a proton: always positive!").

"Hey! I hope you don't mind I came here early." Carlos gave him a smile. Oh gods, even his teeth were perfect, like a military cemetery. "I brought us some brunch." Cecil looked down at the brown paper bag his companion was carrying and nodded. Fiddling through his keys, he opened the front door to the shop.

"Come right in!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> haha. angst.


	3. 3. Anemone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> tw for talk about surgery and hospitals, stay safe loves!

"Could I ask you something?"  
"Shoot. Not literally, figuratively."   
"I could guess that." 

The store was so peaceful when it was just Cecil and Carlos sitting there. The smell of freshly trimmed flowers, a slight cool breeze dancing through wind chimes hanging from the ceiling. Cecil had the windows open today, as the weather was sunny with only a 13% of bee colonies in the shape of snowflakes. It also helped that the two had the entire week off. Leonard Burton, the radio host, had announced yesterday, on the Daily Sunday Report, that all schools would be closed for the week because, "Knowledge is an illusion that the aliens who call themselves 'teachers' implant into our brains."

So, on this gorgeous early May day, Cecil and Carlos sat next to each other, their legs dangling off the countertops as they talked. Carlos had recounted how Quinton had been staying out later and later each night, and Cecil comforted him by retelling a story about his ex, Earl Harlan, being dragged into a wormhole by a group of demonic boy scouts. Now they had moved past that.

"Why do you wear knee braces?" Cecil looked down at his exposed legs, scrunching his brows. "Oh, god, sorry, is that a sensitive topic? You don't have to-"  
"It's ok Carlos, I promise." Carlos nodded, relieved that he hadn't triggered a bad memory. "It's just a long story."

"Well, we have until Quinton picks me up." Cecil chuckled, making Carlos feel...weird. Yes, weird was the best word for it. He refused to acknowledge the fact that he used to get that same feeling when Quinton would compliment him, when he and his boyfriend held hands. 

"I guess we have to go back to senior year." Cecil twirled a piece of his hair that was hanging down. "During that spring, I was diagnosed with late stage lyme disease. I was in the hospital for a while, about seven weeks. There were some, um, complications with my heart, so they weren't sure I was going to make it." Cecil was looking at the ground. His eyes were dark and vacant of the glow Carlos knew and love. "No one really visited me besides Abby, my sister. My mom... my mom was never really there." Carlos opened his mouth to say something, but didn't. Instead, he hugged Cecil. The other buried his head into Carlos's shoulder, squeezing him slightly. Carlos squeezed back.

They stayed like that for a while.

"I'm so sorry you went through that."  
"It's ok, really. I'm still here." Cecil parted with Carlos, now smiling. "The doctors figured out how to fix my heart; they installed a pacemaker, and boom! I was in the best shape I'd been in for 5 years." Carlos nodded. "And now, I'm going through the side effects of Lyme Disease treatment." He kicked up one of his legs. "Lyme Arthritis." Carlos nodded again. The two sat in understanding silence for a while.  
"Can you feel it?"  
"The pacemaker? Oh yeah, it's kind of weird." Cecil noticed Carlos was hesitating. His hand was raised, but wasn't taking any further action. "Would you like to touch it?" Carlos went red, cherry red. He could barely stutter out a yes before getting cut off by Cecil's laugh, and that same "weird" feeling.   
"For scientific reasons, of course."  
"Of course, for science." Cecil unbuttoned the top three buttons of his work polo, looking up at Carlos. He took his hand, rough and calloused, and gently placed it against his chest. "It's so weird waking up in the morning sometimes, too. There are days that I forget I have it, so I'll go to the bathroom and have a goddamn heart attack because I think it's some sort of bump or tumor. But then I rem..." Cecil's rambling, as cute as it was, slowly fuzzed out of Carlos's hearing.

The pacemaker was anything but the center of his attention right now.

Carlos never thought Cecil would be this warm. It radiated through his hand and eased goosebumps on his arm from the still chilly May breeze. Even with the pacemaker in the way, Carlos could feel his friend's heart beat. A heartbeat never felt so beautiful, and Carlos wasn't sure that was even a real descriptor. The way Carlos's rough hand felt on Cecil's contrasting soft skin was, in a way, intoxicating. Quinton never makes you feel like this.

"Earth to Carlos?" Said scientist-in-training popped his head up, blinking furiously. Cecil smiled, gently taking Carlos's wrist and putting it down. "It's 2:55, your boyfriend will be here in five." Carlos smiled, cursing to himself in his head. Real smooth, ding dong. Even though he was ashamed to admit it, he was slightly disappointed when Cecil buttoned up his shirt again. 

Carlos jumped off the counter when he heard a car horn honk outside. "I think that's my ride." He looked over his shoulder; yep, there Quinton was, in his 2009 Chevy Malibu. "I'll see you Thursday?"  
"Totally! Thursday then." Cecil smiled. He waved goodbye, still sat on the counter. Carlos lingered for one second longer before dashing into his boyfriend's car. 

"Hey honeybear." Quinton kissed Carlos's cheek. The other flashed a quick smile before focusing on his phone again. "You excited for our date tonight?"  
"Yeah." Quinton was, admittedly, a little hurt by this deadpan response, but he decided to think nothing on it. He glanced at Carlos. Of course, he was texting Cecil. "Jeez, you just saw the guy two minutes ago." He joked, or at least tried to.  
"Well, he's my friend. Can't I talk to my friends?" Carlos didn't mean for his response to be so cold.  
"Well, it seems like you enjoy spending time with your friends more than your boyfriend." Quinton grimaced as he pulled into the dorm room parking lot.   
"Well, maybe if you'd stop ditching your boyfriend on movie nights to go to a party with people you barely know just to come back home at 4 am wasted, I would enjoy my time with you more!" Quinton winced at how loud Carlos was. He sighed, placing his head on the steering wheel.  
"Carlos, you know how important these parties are, I need to get my name known in the art world."  
"More important than me?" Quinton didn't respond. "Yeah, ok." Carlos stifled a sob, biting his lip. The car was filled with suffocating silence. This was nothing like the silence in the flower shop. 

"Carlos, nothing is more important to me than you, you should know that." Quinton gingerly wrapped an arm around Carlos, pulling him as close as they could get in the front seats of a car. "I'm sorry I've been so focused with my career. I'm just trying to ensure that I can make a good living. You understand that, right?" Carlos only nodded. "Hey." Quinton used one of his right hands to lift up Carlos's chin, pressing a gentle kiss into his lips. "I love you, ok? Never forget that. Now, lets go watch Big Hero Six together." Quinton opened the car door, grabbing Carlos's hand. There was no weird feeling in Carlos's stomach this time.

"I love you too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i love teen cecil palmer so much

**Author's Note:**

> hey! i'm beck! i hope you enjoyed this, i worked pretty hard on it!  
> peace, love, rubber gloves <3


End file.
